


Dear Daria

by hhertzof



Category: Daria (Cartoon), Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: College, Crossover, Epistolary, Fashion & Couture, Gen, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 02:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2834459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhertzof/pseuds/hhertzof
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>College means a new beginning for Quinn, and maybe the girl she was in high school is no longer the girl she wants to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dear Daria

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lefaym](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lefaym/gifts).



Dear Daria,

That's a silly slip. But I told Wren I was writing to my sister, so I suppose that makes it truer than if I was just writing in a journal. And it's not like you'll ever see this or anything.

I know everyone was surprised when I decided to go to the University of Nebraska instead of Great Prairie State with the rest of the fashion club, but I knew that if I did that it would only be high school all over again with Sandy bossing everyone around, Tiffany obsessing over her own reflection, Stacey desperately seeking approval from whoever was around. Whomever? Whatever! You know what I mean, even if my grammar isn't perfect. It's not like I want to be a writer like you.

Anyway, you and Jane had already left for Boston when dad packed up the car and we all drove here. I'm in Pound Hall, room 308 if you decide you want to write to me. But I'm sure you have better things to do. It's not like we talked much when we both lived at home.

I don't know how much Mom told you, but I picked University of Nebraska for its fashion program. I've always been good at putting outfits together and if I had to study _something_ at school that at least sounded interesting. It's not as well known as FIT, but I wasn't going to get in there anyway. I've _seen _Project Runway_. Those people know how to _sew__. I've never touched a sewing machine before in my life. I didn't even know we owned one until Mom found the one she'd used during her hippie days. She said she'd sell it and get me a fancy new computerized one if I wanted, but I don't even know if I'll like sewing or if I'll even be good at it.

Wren came back, so I'm going to say goodbye for now. Maybe if I don't send this to you I can use it for English Comp.

* * *

Dear Daria,

I'm not going to tell you about moving in. It was almost exactly like when you moved in to Raff, complete with Mom desperately flirting with the college boys and Dad regressing. I threw them out as quickly as I could and started setting up my side of the room. Wren said in her email that she had curtains and stuff so I didn't bother with those. There are shared showers. Ew! At least you've got a shower in your suite. Wren and I wrote back and forth a few times over the summer. She's a sophomore, but she must not have liked her roommate or she would have stayed in her own room in a different hall.

She didn't show up till after we'd had lunch and Mom and Dad started back to Lawndale. I knew which twin she was because she'd sent me a picture and she dresses more stylishly than her twin. Also because she talked to me. I get the feeling her sister Cath is a little shy. Cath disappeared almost immediately to her own room down the hall after saying something about seeing if her roommate had arrived.

Wren and I hit it off immediately. Our tastes completely mesh and if I have to share a room with someone, at least we didn't bring clashing bedding. Look, I'm trying to be less shallow, but it's hard sometimes. 

We both started unpacking, talking all the while. She had to run to her sister's room a couple of times to get things that had ended up in the wrong suitcase and once Cath came back here because Wren had her mouse.

The next thing I knew, Cath and her roommate descended on us and dragged us down to dinner.

Wren's back and she's ready for bed. I'll finish this tomorrow.

* * *

Dear Daria,

Where was I? Oh, yes. Dinner. The cafeteria was just like the one at school but the food was better. But I would never have sat with these people back then. Wren's cute and all but not quite up to Sandy's standards. Her sister was wearing a Simon Snow t-shirt and jeans, if you can believe it. And then there was Cath's roommate, Reagan. I'm not sure I could do her justice with a description, so I'm attaching a picture. (Me, Wren, Cath, Reagan). She's loud and she fills up a lot of space, but she's funny. Dinner was fun too. Cath and Reagan have this game that they carried over from last year where they make up funny stories about the other people in the cafeteria. Is this the sort of thing you and Jane used to do back in high school? Cause I wasn't sure how to play at first and then I thought of what you might say.

It's odd. Remember how I said that you'd have friends at college because the people there were smart and nice? Back then I thought the only place I'd fit was in a sorority, partying all the time and yet here I am. I think I've made friends who don't judge me by what I'm wearing and I've signed up for a major that might mean working at something. I don't even know how this happened.

After dinner, they were playing a Simon Snow movie in the common room. I remember reading the first couple as a kid, but it was always more your thing. I wouldn't have gone, but Wren and Reagan, who seem to think that it's their job to get Cath out into the world, insisted. Baz is so much cuter than those sparkly vampires from Twilight.

On the way back to the room, Reagan was teasing Cath about what she planned to write now that her epic fanfiction was done. She's really famous for this one big story about Simon Snow. I don't know if you've heard of her - MagiCath's her screen name. I know you have an account on FanFixx.net cause I used to sneak on there and read your fic sometimes, especially after you went away to Raff last year. I didn't like the zombie stuff much, except for the America's Next Top Model one, but I loved the one you wrote for Yuletide, with Pride and Prejudice as an action movie AU.

I ended up stopping at Cath's room to borrow the first Simon Snow novel. All I remember is a lot of magic and boring school uniforms.

* * *

Dear Daria,

I've had my first sewing class and I love it. I made a dress and hemmed it and everything. It's a little sloppy but I think I'm going to wear it anyway. Bet you never thought you'd hear me _wanting_ to wear a homemade dress. But we talked a little about fabrics and I knew stuff, even if some of the people in the class had been sewing for ages. And it's cool seeing how the pieces fit together and zip-zip through the sewing machine and then you have a finished outfit - well, it still needs accessories and make-up and shoes, but you get the idea.

Simon Snow is awesome. I wish I hadn't decided reading wasn't cool back then cause I missed so much. I'm already on the second book and Cath said I could borrow the rest as I wanted them. Cath is even quieter around new people than you are, but I think we're getting to be friends.

Oh, and the weirdest thing happened today. I was coming back from English when I ran into Reagan in the hallway. Cath was off with her boyfriend and Wren was at class, I think. But she stopped me and asked me if I planned to party my way through my freshman year. I don't know where she got that idea - I mean I've been flirting, but I always flirt. _You_ know it doesn't mean anything, but I suppose she didn't. You saw her picture, so you can understand how I felt. She can be overwhelming. But I said that yes, I liked to party but I didn't plan to spend every weekend drinking till I couldn't stand up. So unattractive.

Then she said that she'd asked me because Cath might not till it was too late. It turns out that Cath and Wren weren't talking to each other much last year, and Wren's roommate was the sort of person who did that. Cath only found out how bad it had got when Wren ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning. I was horrified and reassured her that I'd look out for Wren. I also told her that she was a good friend. She looked sort of taken aback at this, but then she grinned and said I wasn't bad either. I doubt we'll ever have much in common, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends.

I've just reread everything I've written in this file and now, before I lose my nerve, I'm going to copy it into an email and send it to you after all. I don't know that you'll be interested, but if you are, maybe we could write to each other this year. I really missed you last year and if Cath and Wren can find a way to be friends even though they're so different, maybe we can too.

♥♥♥  
Your sister,  
Quinn

**Author's Note:**

> The University of Nebraska does not actually have a Fashion Design course. I used the University of Iowa's as a template.


End file.
